


Foggy Head, Lucid Heart

by parisienneheart



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Comfort, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-24
Updated: 2015-01-24
Packaged: 2018-03-08 20:33:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3222527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parisienneheart/pseuds/parisienneheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Louis should probably stop. He should stop now. He should tell Liam that he needs his rest. That he needs to be left alone. And that nothing he says now should be taken as anything more than cold medicine-induced drivel.</i>
</p>
<p>  <i>But Louis was feeling <i>so needy</i> after spending the whole day alone...and now that he had Liam here, he didn't want him to leave.</i></p>
<p>Louis falls ill and can't perform at an awards show. Liam rushes after the show to be by his side. Fluffiness ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Foggy Head, Lucid Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Completely self indulgent ficlet, as I am currently getting over a cold and I also never fully let out my feelings about Louis being stuck ill in a hotel that one time they had to do an awards show performance. 
> 
> Canon-compliant I suppose, except Eleanor and Sophia do not exist in this universe. Did all the editing/britpicking myself, so any mistakes are mine!
> 
> Hope you enjoy reading! ♥
> 
> I'm off to go make myself some more tea because I'm still ill, boo :(

Louis guzzled down another honey and lemon-infused cup of tea before resting against the mountain of pillows that propped him up in bed. He had been sitting here since the morning. It was now evening, the sky gone dark and everyone else out of the hotel.

He was bundled up from head to toe with socks, joggers, a knitted wool jumper, and a beanie to keep his head warm, along with the down-feather duvets. His bedside table was littered with all manner of flu combatants, tea bags, cups, used tissues, and a "get well soon" card signed by the other four lads before they left to go to the awards show. He didn't even know they made Iron Man “get well soon” cards.

Louis had woken up with his throat feeling like it was made of rusted-over iron and he was barely able to speak, let alone sing. He had done everything he could to attempt to condition it back to normal, at least temporarily, but it was at the behest of everyone else that he stay in bed and rest. He moaned about it for a few minutes, but the pressure against his brain and the pain in his throat proved to be even too much for that.

So here he was in bed, cheering on his lads. Louis pitifully coughed into his elbow before picking up the remote and turning on the telly.

It was just another awards show performance in a fortnight full of award performances, and it was the single they had been performing everywhere. So it wasn't like he was missing a once in a lifetime event.

But he still hated this.

He hated not being up there with his boys, not being able to lighten things up by mucking around if any of the others needed a release from anxiety, not being able to see how many interviews he and Liam could commandeer to the brink of awkward disaster. And he hated not being able to sing, of course.

Liam took over his verse, as was his usual fashion. He ad libbed in a different key and sounded flawless. As was his usual fashion.

Louis admired how he enjoyed it, always in motion, always smiling—always gave such a good show. And the thing was, Liam really did seem to be having a good time. So did the others.

Good.

As much as a tiny dark seed of Louis would like to be selfish and have them be miserable without him, to sound just a bit off, like something was missing—the greater part of him found it much more rewarding to see them shine on without him, just as strong. And it was always an honour to have Liam take over his vocals because he was absolutely brilliant and that brilliancy should be shown off as often as possible.

They smashed it.

"My boys...!" Louis whispered out as he raised a fist.

He shut off the telly once they were off stage, then immediately burrowed himself under the duvet and sheets. He closed his eyes and breathed in deep, feeling his limbs grow heavy and feeling so, so warm and content. Even if his throat still felt only a bit less shit, he could now rest without feeling guilty.

  
  


\----

  
  


"Louis..." Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Louis...!"

There was more knocking.

Louis blearily opened his eyes, not knowing if he had only been asleep for ten minutes or ten days.

He lifted his head up an inch from the pillow, his tangled hair obscuring his vision. His throat felt slightly less like it was made out of rusted iron and he lazily slid over to the edge of the bed to finally get up. After putting his beanie back on, he walked over to the door.

_Probably Zayn_ , he thought to himself. He had texted Louis earlier saying that as soon as he could, he'd come visit Louis to play some FIFA.

After another knock, Louis finally opened the door.

Oh. Not who he was expecting.

It was Liam. With a pizza box tucked under his arm. He was wearing a grey hoodie, but still had black suit trousers and shiny loafers on. His hair was still shiny and combed proper to the side.

"Hi, I hope I didn't wake you," Liam said, looking between his shoes and Louis's eyes. "I just... I really wanted to come back as soon as I could and it was only until after I started knocking that I thought you might be asleep, and I thought, oh no—"

"Hi, Liam..." Louis croaked as he rubbed his eyes. The corners of his lips curved up. "You've got a pizza."

Liam's shoulders relaxed and his mouth formed a wide grin. "Yeah! For you!"

Liam took it from under his arm and presented it to Louis with an open mouth and bright eyes—like a puppy waiting for its owner to take a squeaky toy and throw it.

Louis managed a squeak of a chuckle. "Well, come on in, then."

Liam walked inside and brought an arm around Louis's back in the same motion. Louis tucked his chin onto his shoulder as he hugged him back. Then he pulled back and took the pizza from Liam.

"So I didn't wake you?" Liam asked as he shut the door.

Louis weakly raised an eyebrow. "Liam, you woke me up with a pizza. That makes you an absolute saint.”

Liam curved his lips into a smile as his eyes scrunched into slits. “Good.”

Louis opened up the box and took out a slice of pepperoni while he stood in the middle of the room.

"Well, get back in bed!" Liam ordered as he walked over to him and placed a hand on the small of his back. "You need to rest."

“Mhhrrgh,” Louis groaned with a pizza slice hanging from his mouth. He frowned at Liam as he got steered toward the bed. Liam even insisted on tucking him in, making sure to tickle at the soles of his feet once he was done. Then Liam darted over to the small nearby table to pour hot water into an already-prepared teacup.

Louis smiled at this and took another bite of pizza. "Come join me?"

Liam smiled in return and brought the cup of tea with him, setting it on the bedside table. He took off his shoes, dropped them to the floor, then settled in the bed next to Louis, turning on the telly to a German-dubbed version of Shrek 2.

"Have fun here all day?” Liam asked as he took out a slice of pizza from the box, which was in danger of getting grease on the duvet, not that Louis cared.

Louis turned and gave him a flat look. "God no. It's been awful boring,” he pouted. “You're going to have to make it up to me.”

“Why me?” Liam chuckled.

“Because! You almost never have sick days!” Louis rationally defended.

Liam inclined his head and nodded. “Okay.”

Louis chuckled to himself. Even after all this time, Liam let him boss him around. If he didn't know any better, he'd say Liam liked being bossed around.

"Did you see us on the telly?" Liam asked.

Louis nodded quickly, though it made him a bit dizzy to do that. “Yeah, you boys absolutely smashed it! I knew you would. Really loved what you did with my verse.”

“Thanks,” Liam replied, setting aside the box of pizza. Louis had stopped eating. He was able to manage several bites, but his appetite hadn't fully come back to him.

"How are you feeling?" Liam asked.

"I'm okay. Better. Still a bit fuzzy, though," Louis exhaled.

Liam sidled closer to Louis, then held him close to his chest as he placed a palm around his head. His hand was warm on Louis's forehead, and Louis felt a reverberation throughout his entire body at Liam's touch.

“Doesn't feel like a fever,” Liam finally announced as he let go.

It sure did for Louis, though, the way his cheeks began to burn up just at Liam's touch.

“I don't like being ill,” Louis managed to croak out.

“Here,” Liam said as he handed him the steaming cup of tea from the bedside table.

“Thank you,” Louis said before he took a sip.

Liam leaned over and brought an arm around him, smoothing and rubbing his arm as he drank. If Liam wasn't careful, Louis was going to choke on his tea.

_He needs to stop being wonderful and supportive_ , Louis thought to himself.

"Hey, Liam... why were you still wearing those shoes and those trousers?" Louis asked as he took the cup from his lips.

Liam glanced down. "Oh, well... I came over as soon as we finished our performance."

Louis screwed his brow into a frown. "Didn't you have interviews to do afterwards?"

"There are three other lads to do the work," Liam pertly replied.

Louis turned and raised his eyebrows. "Liam, I cannot believe you skipped out on interviews... and you left it up to those goons! Who knows what we're going to read on the front page of the news tomorrow!"

Liam chuckled. "I trust them."

Louis gently smiled at him, gazing at the nonchalance in Liam's face. "You skived off just to be here with me?"

Liam tilted his head and nodded. "Of course, Lou! I missed you too much."

Louis shook his head and tutted. “You're going to be a bad influence on me. I should stop associating with you.”

Liam chuckled. “One day off isn't going to kill me. That's what you always say...”

“I'm glad you're here,” Louis told him with a beaming grin.

“I'm glad, too. Now I can give you whatever you need,” Liam told him seriously, but with a bright look.

Louis coyly grinned at him. “Oh, whatever I need?”

Liam nervously chuckled. “Yeah. Like... I can give you a head massage, maybe? Or a serenade? Or both?”

Louis laughed so much that it eventually turned into a cough. When he composed himself, he told Liam, “Yeah, why don't you do that?”

“Song requests?”

“Oh, that's right—human ipod,” Louis remarked.

Liam sat on his knees, waiting for a request.

Louis cleared his throat. “Okay... erm...” he brought a finger to his bottom lip, trying to think of something he could get Liam to sing that would make him feel embarrassed. “Shaggy—It Wasn't Me.”

Liam laughed, his dimples forming instantly. “Seriously?”

Louis crossed his arms and raised his chin up. “Whatever I need, right?”

Liam cleared his throat, sidled closer on his knees, then gently removed the beanie from Louis's head, running a fleeting hand through his fringe right after. “All right... _Honey came in and she caught me red-handed, creeping with the girl next door,”_ Liam started in a soulful voice. Louis clapped his hands together in delight.

Liam went back and forth between the main vocals and the backup in the chorus so effortlessly all the while stroking Louis's hair and scalp. Louis couldn't help the toothy grin that grew on his face until his cheeks hurt.

“I can't—I can't do it any more!” Liam broke down laughing as he held Louis's face in his hands. Louis was laughing now, too, and brought his hands up to Liam's wrists. He couldn't keep from staring into his eyes. He couldn't make his smile any smaller.

Once he was able to breathe, Louis whispered out, “I love you.”

Liam's eyes widened and he stopped laughing. "What?"

Louis blinked, just realising what he had said out loud. Shit. He didn't mean for that to come out. Especially now of all times. But maybe he could blame it on being ill. A... a fever! He had the blushing cheeks to go along with that fib! Even though Liam had just checked...

"What?" was what Louis finally decided on as he let go of Liam's wrists.

Liam swallowed and kept his hands on Louis's face. "Did you... did you just say you love me?"

Louis tried to clear his throat, feeling a slight burn from the scratch. "Yeah, like...of course I love you, man. You're my best friend."

"Oh," Liam said, his eyes going back to their normal size. He took his hands from Louis's face and put them in his lap.

"I love you, too," he said, giving Louis a warm gaze.

Even though Louis managed to smile back at this, his heart was still racing. They were best friends and writing partners. That was it. And Liam... Liam didn't feel that way about him.

“I'll make some more tea,” Liam had said after a clear of his throat.

Shit. Was Louis just staring into space for a minute? Great, just making this more awkward.

“Yes, please,” Louis finally replied.

Liam smiled and moved off the bed to heat up some water. Louis watched him as he carefully took the teacups and emptied them of the old tea bags. He glanced back and did his pitiful excuse for a wink, one eye closing shortly after the other.

Louis felt the breath in his chest leave him as he smiled.

Oh no.

Louis should probably stop. He should stop now. He should tell Liam that he needs his rest. That he needs to be left alone. And that nothing he says now should be taken as anything more than cold medicine-induced drivel.

But Louis was feeling _so needy_ after spending the whole day alone _..._ and now that he had Liam here, he didn't want him to leave.

After Liam finished making Louis a cup of tea, they sat in silence together, only the television making faint noise in the background.

"Can we cuddle for a bit?" Louis asked as he put aside his cup. "I promise I'll try and not give you my illness."

Liam sidled and shifted his arm under Louis, while wrapping another arm along Louis's side, rubbing up and down to keep him warm.

As long as he had sinus pressure pushing against his frontal lobe, Louis would not be held completely accountable for his actions. He leaned his head back into Liam's shoulder, feeling the rise and fall of his steady breath, inhaling the scent of his cologne. Liam responded by nuzzling his chin into his hair and pressing a quick kiss into it.

"Be careful, or you'll fall ill, too, Liam. Then who would take over for you? No one. No one could do it." Louis moved his hand to cup it over the back of Liam's hand, then turned around to face him. "Thank you, Liam. You're the best."

Liam smiled at him. Though it looked... sad? Why was Liam sad? He shouldn't be sad.

Louis pouted. "Why've you got that look on your face?"

"No one can replace you, either," was all Liam said, looking awfully serious.

Louis took in a deep breath. "You do a pretty good job, though."

"Still not the same without you. It's like a piece of me is missing without you on stage. You know, it was funny—I kind of turned and looked for you even when I was singing your verse."

Louis blinked. "You all looked like you were having a great time.”

“It's called being a professional, Louis. You think any of us enjoyed being up there without you?”

Louis shrugged.

“God, we were lost without you—well, I can't exactly speak for the others, but... I need you there with me.” Liam bit his lip as he said this last bit, and it was hard for Louis not to want to have those swollen bright lips in between his own teeth.

“I'll try and not fall ill next time, then,” Louis gulped.

Liam nodded and swallowed as he looked down. It looked like he was staring at Louis's lips, but that has got to be an actual hallucination, right?

"Thanks for coming over, Liam,” Louis said. “I've felt so lonely all day. It's been real good to see you.”

Liam nodded. “Of course.”

They were both just staring at each other now, and Louis's hand began to feel clammy on Liam's. He glanced down. “You should probably leave. I don't want you to catch ill.”

“Is that the only reason you want me to leave?” Liam asked.

Louis gulped. Truthfully, that wasn't even the reason he wanted Liam to leave. Not that he actually wanted him to leave at all. “Yeah. Sure.”

“You can be honest with me, you know,” Liam said, his jaw growing taut. “I know. I should take a hint, right?”

Louis narrowed his eyes. “What on earth are you talking about?”

“I love you,” Liam said as he stared into Louis's eyes. “And not just because you're my best friend. Why do you think I'm the only one here? Why do you think I didn't even bother to change before I came here? Why I couldn't wait to see if you were all right?”

Louis's eyes widened. He rubbed at his eyes to get a bit of the fuzziness away from his head. “Liam... what are you saying?”

Liam ducked his head, his chocolate brown eyes looking so earnest as they stared up at Louis. “I'm saying I love you, and I guess I've been in love with you for a while now, but it was only today... being away from you—I couldn't do it any more. I couldn't go on without you knowing. I mean, I know it might ruin our friendship, but I was so stupid—some part of me thought—”

“I'm in love with you, idiot!” Louis blurted out as he squeezed Liam's hand.

Liam's eyes softened, but grew big.

Louis swallowed, hoping his voice wouldn't give out on him so he could finally say this. “I said it on accident earlier. Because you were being so wonderful and thoughtful, and just, well, _you!_ But I thought maybe you were just here being wonderful because you're always wonderful. I didn't think... I can't believe...” Louis felt hot and clammy everywhere now.

“You're in love with me?” Liam softly asked.

Louis nodded. “Yes. A million times, yes!”

Liam smiled, and Louis finally felt clarity for the first time today.

Liam brought a hand to cup Louis's cheek as he moved in close. Louis curled a hand around his neck and their lips met, slow and gentle. Louis still held his other hand and he smiled against Liam's lips. Liam nuzzled at him with his nose as he took in a short breath.

“God, I love you so much,” Louis whispered before he kissed Liam again, taking his lip into his teeth. Liam kissed back, licking into Louis's mouth as he cupped his chin.

With a heavy heart, Louis put a hand up on Liam's chest and pulled away. “You really shouldn't be kissing me, Liam, You're going to fall ill.”

“I don't care,” Liam whispered before he took Louis's face into his hands again and kissed him.

“But I don't want you to become ill and miserable like me,” Louis whispered against his mouth in between kisses.

Liam moved down to sucking his neck.

Louis sighed, “...or maybe I do, so that we could both stay in bed together all day.”

Liam looked up at him, a corner of his mouth tilting up. “You know, we don't both need to be ill to stay in bed together all day...”

Louis felt his cheeks burn, a simultaneous heat beginning to coil at the pit of his stomach.

“Liam...” Louis exhaled, his mouth agape in delight.

Liam bit his lip and sheepishly shrugged.

Louis smirked, then grasped Liam's hair as he leaned in for another kiss. Once they let go again, Louis fondly stared at him, feeling heavy in his eyes. Then he actually started to yawn.

“Putting you to sleep, am I?” Liam laughed as he stroked the hair at Louis's neck.

Louis frowned. “The tea... No... No...” He moaned as he felt the rest of his body grow heavy. He felt like a child, helpless against fatigue. “Why... why now?”

Liam laughed and brought the both of them back down against the pillows. “Because you need your rest. Get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up.”

Louis whimpered as he closed his eyes against his will. Meanwhile, Liam began to gently run his fingers through Louis's hair, massaging his head.

“You'll stay with me?” Louis murmured as he held Liam's free hand with both of his and cradled it to his chest.

“Yes,” Liam said as he dipped down and kissed Louis's forehead. “I'll always stay with you.”

“Good.”

Louis finally slipped into sleep, his last conscious thought focused on the way Liam threaded his fingers into his hand and squeezed.

 


End file.
